Political Quotes

“it needs to be pointed out from the very beginning that the Committee on the Judiciary has not ordered reported H.J. Res. 37 proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States with respect to tax limitations. This has not occurred, notwithstanding a communication forwarded by the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), to the chairman of the Committee on Rules saying that this has taken place. In addition, I have never been contacted, or written, or telephoned even, about a constitutional amendment that cannot in due fairness come before the Congress without any, any committee proceedings in the House Committee on the Judiciary. We have never witnessed this before. Madam Speaker, I think it is a disgrace to the process and borders on legislative malpractice. This amendment is an insult to the legislative process and to the principle of democracy itself. The absence, the total absence of any committee hearings, of any markup, without any prior consultation, makes this failure one that ought to send this committee and the vote on this amendment off the floor today on this important day. When the matter involved is a constitutional amendment which would forever limit the voting rights of Members, such lack of process is shocking and unconscionable.”